My Shiro
by Ballad
Summary: Kagome's world turns upside down when a beautiful White German Shepherd abruptly comes in to her life. Things go from bad to worse when this breathtaking animal is not so breathtaking after all! He can speak, and he tells her he has come to take her life!
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

**Chapter 1**

* * *

_He walked. He had no idea where he was headed, but he knew that if he went this way, he would find her. The cursed woman who trapped him under this spell was in this direction, he could surely sense it! She has finally come back to the mortal realm. It has been over 500 years. And now, the only way to break this curse...and this madness...was to take her life!_

* * *

"Kagome! You are going to be late for school if you don't hurry!"

My name is Kagome Higurashi. I am fifteen years old today, and my life couldn't even be more hectic.

"Coming, mom!" I bellowed down at her as I frantically tried to put on an outfit for school. I chose a plain red baggy t-shirt with black baggy pants, and I brushed my hair as best I could, though many knots still remained.

"**Kagome!!"**

"**Alright!!"** I screamed back. My patience was growing weaker by the second.

Once I brushed my teeth, I jumped down the flight of stairs. When I rounded the corner, I grabbed my yellow backpack and rushed for the door.

"What are you _wearing_!?" My mother, Naomi, asked me in horror, stopping me in my quest for the door before she could see me.

I cringed at her tone. I was hoping to make it out of this house alive.

"Look, mom, I don't have time for this," I exclaimed, rolling my eyes at her in the process.

"Honey, it is your first day of school, and this is how you dress!?" My mother stated in horror. "I won't allow it! March right back up to your room, young lady, and pick out a more formal outfit!"

"**Mommm!"** I complained loudly, while stomping my right foot down hard on to the brown carpet of our living room. "I am in high school now! Let me wear what I want to wear!"

My mother shook her head angrily. "While you live in this house, you live under my rules. You are starting high school today, missy, and you want to have a great first impression! I will not allow you to look like such a….like a _boy_!"

I checked my black wrist watch and hissed in anger. I only had ten minutes to get to homeroom before I was late for my first day.

"Look, mom, I don't have time for this right now! Please, just let me be for today, and I promise I will wear something more…._'girly'_…. tomorrow!" I shuddered and cringed in horror when I had to say the word, _'girly'_….

My mother pointed a finger at me. I felt myself starting to sweat.

"Of all days, Kagome! It is your _birthday_ today, and you are starting _high school_. I will not allow people to see my daughter this way!"

I couldn't hold back my anger anymore, so I put it on a tighter leash. I did not want to yell at my mother.

"So, since today is my birthday, let me dress how I want to dress! And like I said before, I'll pick a better outfit for tomorrow, ok? I don't have time for this, I need to go to school! Love yah, bye!"

Before my mother could say another word, I slammed the door behind me and ran for my life….or something like that.


	2. Chapter 2: Anxiety

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The first day of school was horrifying….or at least _nauseating_.

I sighed happily when the long school day finally came to an end. Immediately kids started to form cliques, and the like, right when they got to school this morning! To make things worse, my schedule consists mainly of boring classes! Math, English, history, and the horrible computer typing classes: It was best to get most of this stuff over with, though. My junior and senior year should be quite fun and class free if I fill up my schedule to its full capacity right now!

The only class I hated, more then anything else in the world was _**art class**_. I shudder at the very thought of it. My art teacher, Mr. Nara, is a crazy maniac! He gave all of his students their very first assignment on the very first day of school! I sighed in defeat, not seeing anyway out of it. I tried talking to my counselor, Ms. Oita, earlier, to see if I could drop the grotesque class, but it was of no use. She stated I need the "Fundamental's of Art" class to graduate….**FOUR YEARS FROM NOW!!**

Even after my depressing day, though, I lightened myself up and jogged home happily, making myself look forward to the soccer tryouts later that night.

* * *

I came to a halt suddenly. I looked around my neighborhood street; getting the feeling that I was being watched. When I received a fierce chill down my spine, I pushed myself to keep moving. "It's probably nothing," I reassured myself, though the hair on my arms and the back of my neck still continued to rise up.

* * *

"Mom!?" I called out when I got home. I locked the door behind me, still receiving the feeling of being watched. I looked around the house, calling my mother's name repeatedly, but there was no response.

She wasn't home….

I squealed in delight and flew down the stairs. It was so amazing that I, finally, was able to have the whole house all to myself for almost the first time in my life, even if only for a little while! I grabbed a bag of chips and a can of soda, and settled myself in to the ugly, fluffed, green-flowered couch that dominated the living room. With the remote in hand, I was finally able to get some peace and quiet without my mother nagging at me, twenty-four-seven!

The delight and freedom was short-lived, though.

My mother came home a half-hour later, with huge shopping bags in both of her greedy hands. My little brother, Souta, trailed in from behind her.

"Hi, Kagome!" He squealed as he caught sight of me on the couch. He ran over to me and jumped in my lap, almost making me puke up the chips and soda I had just devoured a few minutes before.

"Eh, hi Souta," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic as possible, while trying to hold down my stomach.

My little brother beamed up at me. "So how was your weekend, Kagome?" he asked, a little unhappily.

"Same, same," I stated, waving my hand in the air. "How was dad's?"

Souta looked down in to my lap angrily. "I hate dad's place! It is _sooo _boring there! He won't let me play any of my video games! He just makes me study all the time. He wants me _**'to be a great business man one day,'**_" he copied our father's scrawny voice amazingly, "but I am only a kid! What does he think I am, _fifteen or something!?_ I am only eleven years old! I am still supposed to have fun! Not worry about…._'business stuff' _yet!!"

My mother and father split up and got divorced when I was a kid, and when Souta was just born. My father got half the custody, so we were forced to take turns to see him every weekend throughout our lives growing up.

Lately, I haven't seen my father, Toru, in a long time. Since I am old enough now, I have a say in whether I would like to see him or not. And quite frankly, I do not want to see him at all.

My mother beamed at me from the kitchen. _'That is __**not **__good a good sign….'_ I thought to myself as I saw her from the corner of my eye. I knew that look all too well, and I knew that look only brought trouble.

"Souta, _what did she do_?" I asked my brother. My brother smiled devilishly up at me as he continued to sit on my lap.

"I'm sorry, Kagome, but I couldn't stop her! She made me go in to the…._**girl's section….**_"

I hissed. "_**Oh, no she didn't…."**_

Souta laughed at my expression and at the tone of my voice. "I am sorry, Kagome. She is just too strong! But happy fifteenth birthday anyway, though!"

I rolled my eyes at him. I pushed him off my lap, and angrily walked up the stairs to my bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind me.

My room was pink, great to my disliking. It was my mother's choice, of course. I plopped myself down on to my ugly pink, yet very comfortable, bed, and felt like crying my eyes out, here and now.

My mother probably got me all of these '_girly'_ clothes, with make-up, lingerie, and whatever pink, for my birthday again. I hated it. Why couldn't she accept me for who I am? I just loved to be comfortable, to dress comfortably. Even if that made me a tomboy, who, if anyone, has the right to judge?

I sighed depressingly when I looked at the clock. It was only quarter to four. I had two more hours until I could be where I finally belonged: Playing soccer.

I have played soccer all of my life. I played the position of goalie all of my life, and I absolutely love that position. And now, since I am in high school, I hope to make the Varsity team right away. I hear the soccer team needed a goalie, and I am their man—er, woman!

I scowled as I suddenly remembered what happened at school today. Once again, I was the outcast. But that was just the way I liked it! I didn't need friends, or boyfriends, or cliques! I didn't need to join the Student Council, or the Drama Club! And I definitely did NOT want to become a cheerleader or a baton twirler, like my mom definitely thought and dreamed I was going to be.

I got up from my bed and looked in the mirror. Was I really and truly ugly and not very attractive? My skin's very pale, as if I were half-albino, my hair, a raven black, and my eyes, a light grey-blue.

I guess I totally did not fit in with the other girls. They all had blonde or brunette, or even, red hair. All were American, or at least most of them. But I, on the other hand, was half-Japanese.

My mother and father lived in the States before I was born, and both are Japanese. My grandmother, though, married an American man, so even though my mom and dad, and even my brother, Souta, look _VERY_ Japanese, I am completely different. Was I truly ugly, with my big eyes and big lips? I must look deformed to the other girls at school. But it was always like this, even in the Middle School and Elementary School.

I picked up my head in defiance at the mirror. I am beautiful, in my own way, and I am proud of my heritage! There is nothing wrong with being different, and it certainly was NOT a crime, and it certainly did NOT make me ugly!

"Kagomeee!" My mother yelled up at me from downstairs. "It is time for the birthday girl to open her presents and eat her cake!"

I scowled and cringed at her tone. _'Might as well take it like a man—er, woman!'_ I thought, while looking at myself in the mirror one last time. I held my head up high when I opened my bedroom door, and then I went downstairs to meet my doom.

* * *

_He listened to the voices inside the house. He growled, remembering the sound of her voice. It was different somehow; more loud and higher-pitched. But it was her, alright. Her scent was almost exactly the same, even though it was much sweeter then he remembered._

_He growled more loudly and pulled his lips back, displaying an impressive row of very white, shiny, and **very sharp** teeth. His stomach howled at him in hunger, but he knew he would have to wait before he could sink his teeth into her incredibly soft-flesh and in to her luxurious, mouth-watering blood._

_Until it was dark, though, he will sit here, waiting patiently for his prey. And then, when darkness falls, he will get her...when she is all alone._


	3. Chapter 3: The Color of Bright Fire

**Chapter 3**

* * *

"Nice one, Kagome!" I heard the soccer coach yell out to me with delight as he watched me stop almost every soccer ball in my path. 

When the drill was over, I took off my old and damaged goalie gloves and went to grab my red water bottle for a swift drink. I smiled to myself as I watched the coach and the assistant coach jot things down while looking my way. The Varsity goalie position was mine, for sure!

When I took another swig of my ice-cold water, I watched the other girls from the corner of my eye. They were all very tall, blonde, and beautiful. I was the shortest on the team, and preferably the smallest goalie there was ever going to be in the whole soccer league. This was my definite downfall.

But I know I am fast, and that I can jump impressively high for my height. All those years of exercising really paid off!

I still looked like a child compared to these busty-babe women, though. Compared to them, I looked like I was only eleven years old instead of fifteen--

I choked on some of my water when I remembered what my mother got me for my birthday. I tried to clear my mind away from it. That was the last thing I needed to remember right now!

"Kagome Higurashi!" The coach called out to me, beckoning me over to him in the middle of the soccer field with his assistant coach; his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto are pretty young, and they both seem really nice. So far, I really like them, though from what I heard from the other girls, they could be vicious.

I gulped as I jogged over to them. As I ran past the other girls; all who were wearing tight muscle shirts, that showed off their ridiculously slim bellies, and extreme short-shorts, I became self conscious about my overly long and baggy shirt, with my too long shorts that went down to my knees.

"Yes?" I asked politely to Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto when I finally reached them in the middle of the soccer field a little breathlessly.

The coaches, or hopefully soon-to-be-coaches, looked down and smiled at me in an extremely cocky way. I could feel my face heat up almost immediately. I must have looked like an extreme dork or something.

"Kagome, how would you like to play for the Varsity team?"

I swear my jaw dropped and hit the grass at my feet. I was in extreme shock. _'He wants me, on his Varsity soccer team!?'_

I knew I was pretty good—scratch that—VERY well at soccer, especially at my position as goalie, but I still couldn't believe it. I was utterly breathless, even though I knew I was going to make it….or, at least I hoped.

"R-really!?" I was able to squeak out, idiotically.

The coach and his wife laughed at me. I felt my face flush again.

"Of course you, Kagome!" Mrs. Yamamoto exclaimed as she still continued to laugh.

"You are a natural! I would really love for you to join the team, Kags," Mr. Yamamoto stated.

I hissed momentarily at the nickname, since it was extremely idiotic, but I didn't want to hurt their feelings: A/K/A; get kicked off the team.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I blurted out, happily. I threw my hands to my mouth to shut myself up, but I still couldn't stop my glee.

My NOW coaches laughed at me again, but this time I didn't feel embarrassed. I was just so happy! I am the very first, and youngest, girl to _ever_ play on the Varsity soccer team as a freshman!

I thanked them a million times again while jumping up and down with glee. The coaches probably thought I was very amusing, or a total nutcase, while the other girls….well, I didn't want to think about them right now. But I bet, for the very first time in my life, I was actually acting like a girl. My mother would have died, right at this moment with happiness, if she could have seen me now!

When soccer tryouts ended, the girls who got booted off the team went home, crying. After they were gone, we had a short meeting. The coaches gave us our schedules, diet and exercise papers, and etc. They also gave us a bunch of medical papers for our parents to sign—you know, all of that boring stuff.

* * *

I walked home happily with my overly stuffed soccer bag over my shoulder once the meeting ended. It was getting darker now around nine, but the darkness wasn't really all-that bothering tonight. I was just so happy, that I didn't really watch where I was going…. 

I ended up in the bad part of town. I looked over my shoulder, trying to remember which way I had come. I saw lights way ahead of me, and I immediately knew it was the downtown square, since they have the stupid white Christmas lights lit up all night all year long, so I wasn't completely lost.

As I was about to cross the street, I heard walking behind me. I quickly glanced over my shoulder, but I saw nothing. I continued to walk, thinking it was nothing, but then I heard the walking footsteps again.

I whipped my head around, my eyes surely glaring in the darkness. "Who's there!?" I cried.

There was complete silence. I started to jog now but I wasn't going very fast. My overly heavy and stuffed soccer bag weighed me down.

I heard the footsteps start to jog from behind me, as well. I looked over my shoulder once more, to see who it was, but I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. I fell forward. I instinctively threw my hands in front of my face to break the fall. When I hit the ground with my arms, I cried out in pain as blood started to ooze out through my shirt.

I checked my arms quickly, and I sighed in relief. Nothing was broken, or nothing was broken that I could see. I just scraped myself up a bit. I prayed to God that I wouldn't need stitches. Stitches mean I can't play soccer for a long while.

"Are you hurt, little girl?" I heard a sneer from behind me. I immediately remembered where I was again, and I whipped my head around to see who was talking to me.

It wasn't just one man; there were three of them. I slowly got to my feet, facing the weird men before me. They, surprisingly, were not badly dressed. All of them were in tuxedos with nice hair.

The smell of alcohol suddenly hit my nose hard. I backed away from the smell. They were all drunk.

"Oh, no, I am not hurt," I said hesitantly while taking a few more steps away from them. They took a few more steps towards me.

The third man laughed. He was a big man and was smoking a cigar. The man to his left was skinny and was holding a beer bottle. Where were the police when you needed them?

The man up front, preferably their leader, was actually handsome, but his eyes were extremely blood shot.

"Are yah sure, girl?" He asked, droningly. He staggered towards me; the other two men stayed where they were.

"Uh," was all I could say.

"Come on and have a few drinks with us…." He stated VERY drunk. I could feel my eyes start to tear, but I got a good grip on myself, even though my legs were turning in to grape jelly.

"Er, I am not old enough," I said idiotically. The men laughed at me.

"Sure you are," the man in front of me stated. "Come on, you know you want to. Let's have some fun!"

When I saw his hands reach out towards me in the darkness, I immediately bolted like a rabbit. _'Oh my god!'_ I screamed in my mind over and over again. I heard the men's foot steps run from behind me, but then they suddenly stopped. I rounded a corner and ducked in the darkness, just to make sure I wasn't being followed by them anymore.

After a few moments, hearing nothing, I exhaled in relief. It seemed I have been holding my breath in forever.

When I was going to get up from my crouching position, I heard a noise to my right. I looked down the far road but I saw nothing. It was too dark to see anymore. The only light I had were the street lights.

I started to walk away slowly with my extremely shaky legs. _'Mommy, please...'_ I begged in my mind. _'Please help me, mom.'_

Why did I think of my mother at that moment? I was afraid I was going to die, that's why. And now I cursed myself fully. I should have took the offer of getting a ride with Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto; my coaches. I cursed myself again for being so stupid.

"_**GRRRR…." **_

I stopped walking. I was completely frozen from head to toe. I couldn't even feel my legs anymore.

"_**GRRRRR……"**_

The growl came from behind me this time. It came closer and closer, the sound growing louder.

I slowly turned around while grabbing a better hold on my back pack. It sounded like a dog….a _**big**_ dog.

When I stood faced to where the noise was being emitted, I saw nothing. My heart bet against my already bruised rib cage. I could hear the constant pounding of it in my head, and it was starting to give me an awful headache.

Suddenly I heard steps. Not really steps, but claws. The growl became louder and louder. Suddenly I saw a figure in the shadows. It slowly came towards me, and I held my breath in fear.

I didn't expect what I really had expected.

When the dog came in to the light from under the street lamp, all the fear that was held within me completely vanished for unknown reasons. I still continued to hold my breath: Not in fear this time, but in complete and utter awe.

The dog was white. Pure white. And it was huge. It wasn't fat or overweight, but it was all pure and lean muscle, and possibly taller than a Great Dane and an Alaskan Malamute combined. Its coat and muscles rippled under the light, and its eyes….

Pure, glowing, golden-amber. The color of bright fire.

The awe vanished completely when the dog growled again. Was it a wolf? The fear started to creep up on me and I backed up slowly. I tried to remember what my mother always taught me when I was a girl, on how to fight off a dog attack. I held my bag out in front of me a bit, just in case it was going to attack.

And I absolutely know I should NOT look in to its eyes, but I couldn't pull myself away from its gaze. For some odd reason, though, it felt like I knew this animal; that we have met before.

The fear crushed on top of me, full force. When the dog growled this time, it showed its teeth. All pure white, shiny, long, and dagger sharp. Its face contorted in rage. It is a face that you would see in a horror movie. It is a face that would haunt you in your sleep, or make you sleep with a night light. It is the scariest face I have ever seen in my life, and I knew, from that moment on, that face would be burned in to my memory forever.


	4. Chapter 4: The Color of Blood

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Fear engulfed my heart as I stood frozen like a rabbit. The dog's growls grew louder by the second, almost deafening my ears. When it licked its chops and started to walk towards me, I bolted like an idiot, dropping my soccer bag in the process. 

I cursed myself for wearing sandals instead of my cleats.

I rounded a corner and smacked in to the men I had encountered earlier. I should NOT have been grateful, but I was.

"_Oh, thank God!" _I screamed out, while trying to catch my breath. _"Look, there is a dog back there--"_

"**Where the hell did you think you were going, bitch?"** the leader hissed at me. I rolled my eyes at them as I continued to crouch down, trying to slow down my rapidly beating heart.

"**Hey, I am talking to you bitch!"** the leader yelled at me, completely drunk. What I didn't expect him to do was kick me, straight in the ribs. I could hardly breathe before, but now I couldn't breathe _at all._ The kick wasn't hard enough to break any of my ribs, but it surely knocked the wind out of me.

I lied in a fetal position at the three men's feet, trying to gasp for air. "Now look what you made me do," the leader laughed as the other two joined in, as well.

"What we gonna do to her, now, boss?" The bigger man laughed with lust filled eyes. The skinnier man to his right took a long swig from his beer bottle.

I was frozen with fear on the ground._ 'This can not be happening,'_ I screamed over and over in my mind. I tried to stop the tears that built up in my eyes, but I couldn't. They flowed freely on to my cheeks and on to the dirty pavement beneath me.

"_Please,"_ I gasped, still trying to catch my breath. _"Don't..."_

The men laughed again as they started to crouch down around me. The leader punched my side hard, while the other man started to tie my hands with a rope. The third man started to spread my legs….

"_Please!"_ I screamed. _"Don't do this!"_

The leader punched me in the face. I cried out in pain. "Look, little girl, **we want some.** It's been like what….**since yesterday?**"

The other two men laughed. I started to cry and scream, but the leader put duct tape over my mouth, silencing me. With all the stuff they had, it seemed they raped idiot girls like me all the time.

When the leader started to unzip his pants, I squirmed even more frantically now. My vision blurred and I became nauseous. I was going to faint any time now….

Then I heard screaming. I opened up my eyes in shock when the leader was suddenly gone from above me. The other two men looked around, confused. "Boss?" one of them asked.

Then another scream could be heard from one of the men. I looked to my left, but he was no where to be seen. The man to my right shot himself straight up and started to bolt for it, but was immediately stopped. I looked to the place he was staring and backing away slowly from, and fear pierced my heart more heavily then before.

It was the dog, but it was completely different from when I had seen it, moments before. Its coat was splattered with crimson and its eyes were now glowing bright blood red instead of the golden-amber fire I had just seen before in its depths. And right under each bloody eye were single purple stripes….

The sight and smell of blood made me nauseas and I just wanted to vomit and faint right here and now. But I couldn't, like before, take my eyes away from the beasts eyes. When I looked more closely, the beasts pupils were teal….

The man screamed as the dog vanished before my eyes. When I looked to where the man was supposed to be, since it was too quiet now, he was in pieces against the nearby building. I felt something wet and sticky cover my body, and when I looked down at myself in my side-lying position, the man's blood was all over me.

I struggled against my bonds, trying to free myself, but it was of no use. I needed to vomit, but with the duct tape on my mouth, I couldn't. Finally I was able to release my wrists from the poorly tied knots the now dead man made with the rope, and rip off the duct tape. I vomited all over the pavement, including myself.

When my stomach was completely empty of its contents, I slowly tried to stand up. My legs were extremely weak and shaky, and very, VERY numb, so I fell right back down. I cried pitifully as the dog crept closer. My vision started to grow extremely blurry and dark, but I fought the faintness. I didn't want to die, even though it would have been better to faint then this dog to eat me while I was still awake.

Suddenly, red and blue lights pierced the darkness. The sirens grew louder and louder by the second. The dog whipped its head in the direction of the sound and growled ominously. The beast turned its red glare towards me again as my eye sight grew even more blurry and darker.

'_**Next time, then,'**_ it growled to itself. I blinked in surprise, not quiet sure what I just heard.

"_Wha--?"_ I gasped out. The dog jumped in front of me, obviously _very_ surprised. We stared at each other, and something passed in between us at that very moment. The animals eyes slowly started to turn to its original; the color of fire….and its purple strips seemed to be melting in to his white fur...

But before anything else could happen, the police rounded the corner with their sirens blaring, and the animal completely vanished from my sight.

I fainted immediately as the police ran towards me.


	5. Chapter 5: Next Time, Then

**Chapter 5**

* * *

_I was walking in a meadow. I wasn't sure where I was headed, but I kept moving, oblivious to the area around me. Extreme sadness clutched at my heart as I continued to walk swiftly. I held something within both of my hands and I silently cried. _

_I knew I was betraying someone; someone who had claimed my heart long, long ago. But it had to be done, to save him. As long as he was alive, that was all that mattered. And once this was all over, I will return to him, somehow. One day. Someday._

_And not even death could claim me. My only prayer at that moment was for him to understand. _

'_**Please don't let him hate me, or think I betrayed him. Please...let me return to him, jewel. Protect him, and let us be together again, one day. Let me be the only one able to lift the curse from him, as well as these beads. Please….keep him safe….keep my beloved safe….'**_

_Then everything faded to black..._

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes and immediately cursed myself for doing so. When did my room become so bright? 

An annoying beeping sound could be heard right next to my head. I winced as I tried to open my eyes and look for the source. _'I don't remember my alarm clock making such a noise...'_

I gasped in horror when I saw the monitor. It certainly was **not** my alarm clock, at all! I tried to lift my body up in my already uncomfortable position, but nausea stopped me. A wash of dizziness and pain claimed my head, and I desperately needed to throw up.

I tried to put my hands to my mouth, but needles in the back of my hands stopped me. The IV was taped there, and was immobilizing me at the moment.

I looked around frantically, trying to look for a safe spot to puke my guts out, when a bowl out of nowhere appeared right in front of my eyes. Not being able to hold down my stomach any longer, I puked in the bowl. I cried silently as my already burning throat burned even more.

"**Oh, Kagome!"** Someone tightly hugged me, making me cry out in pain. "Oh, I am so sorry sweetie! Are you alright!?"

I looked up to see my mother in tears. "Mom? Where am I?"

My mother cried more uncontrollably this time. "Oh, my little Kagome! You're in the hospital! You were so badly hurt last night…." My mother couldn't finish her sentence. She cried as she clutched at me yet again, making _me_ cry out. _In pain. Again!_

"_Ow! Ow!_ _**OW!**__"_ I screamed. "Mom, **stop!** You are hurting me!"

My mother immediately withdrew from me. When she did, I vomited again in the bowl, and then laid myself down on the uncomfortable bed. If I moved, even an inch, extreme pain overtook me, and my vision started to become blurrier by the second.

"Sis, you're awake!" My brother, Souta, rushed towards from the couch he was probably sleeping on. I braced myself for impact, but it never came. At least he had some brains….

"Ah, Kagome, it is good to see you awake again."

"Grandpa!?" I choked out. I hadn't seen my grandfather for months, and that was partially his fault. Every time I would go see him, he would give me stupid history lessons about Japan's ancient past….and I was forced to listen to those idiotic stories all the time, whether I liked it or not!

"What happened last night, dear Kagome?" my grandfather questioned me with worry in his eyes. I tried to recall what happened, but the needles in my hands made me sick.

"Ugh….needles…." I whimpered. Then I shot up again, ignoring the pain that rampaged through my body at the sudden movement. I looked at myself and nearly cried. I was wrapped in bandages, and my ribs hurt uncontrollably.

"Mom, how….?" I tried to finish my sentence, but tears kept leaking down my face. Where did all these bruises come from? Why was I wrapped up in bandages?

Then it hit me, like a wave would hit a small child on the beach. _'Soccer practice...wrong route...three men...dark out...dog...'_

I gasped at the realization. Those men bruised me up pretty badly last night and attempted to rape me! And then the dog….the dog….

Saved my life...?

"Mom! How bad am I? Is anything broken!?" My mother and my grandfather jumped at the same time, shocked suddenly by my raised voice.

My brother just continued to look at my hands, uninterested in what I (or anyone else, to say the least) had to say, which is the usual. He loved needles and blood. The ungrateful little vampire!

My mother had tears spring to her eyes again, and my grandfather patted her on the back gently. My grandfather spoke for her.

"Well, there is nothing really broken, but you do have some cracked ribs, Kagome, and a nasty head injury there. The doctors say you had a concussion, but nothing too serious."

Cracked ribs? _CRACKED RIBS!?_

"_**WHAT!?"**_ I screamed out, but immediately regretted it as my whole body shook with the pain. I keeled over, wanting to throw up all over again. My ribs ached and burned, and it was hard for me to breathe in and out regularly.

But seriously, this could NOT be happening to me! _Soccer tryouts_ were just yesterday! The _first day of school_ was just yesterday! My _birthday_ was just yesterday! Is the number fifteen truly the unlucky number? Have I suddenly hit rock bottom!?

I whimpered and my heart rate on the monitor accelerated. The nurse came rushing in as I cried. I knew exactly what was to come next. Cracked ribs meant no soccer practice. No soccer, **period**. And to think, I would have been the very first person to _ever _play on the Varsity soccer team as a freshman!

Soccer had always been my dream, my passion, and my _**life**_! And it was all thrown away, thanks to that….that….stupid, wretched, dumb animal! It was all its fault, I am sure of it! It should have just finished me off!

When the nurse put something in my arm, I guess to calm me down, I knew what I had to do. I had to find that animal and….and….and I dunno, but do something to it!

"_**Next time, then…."**_ I whispered to myself, right before I blacked out.


	6. Chapter 6: Beloved

**Chapter 6**

* * *

My life sucks, starting now.

* * *

When I was released from the hospital a few days earlier, I was still in major pain. Though none of my ribs were broken, like the doctors informed me, I still had some cracked ribs. I was bruised up pretty badly, and I needed stitches in my arms. 

I couldn't, and still really can't, move that well.

And to make things worse, the doctors prescribed me to go see a shrink. Since I was nearly raped and eaten alive, no doubt, _of course_ I would need to go see a shrink! _Yeah right...!_

The doctors didn't know about the dog, though. Neither did my mom or brother. They wouldn't believe my story if I told them, especially since I hit my head pretty badly.

But I know I did not imagine it or dream it. That monster dog was _real_.

I sat in my room and cried silently. The first day of soccer practice was going on right at this very moment, and here I was, trapped.

It was nice of my coaches, Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto, to come visit me while I was in the hospital. They told me to come and watch the practices and the games, to make me feel better, no doubt. They told me a good athlete will support their team, no matter what.

_Hell no!_

I couldn't even go to soccer practice if I tried, anyway. My mom has me locked up in my room. I am grounded, can you believe that? I am grounded for walking around on my own at twilight and nearly dying! I am also grounded for not asking the coaches or one of my team members for a ride!

My MOTHER should be the one giving me rides, not THEM! If ANYONE should be grounded, it should be HER!

I winced in pain as I laid down on my bed, while tears still streamed down my face. I was extremely bored and depressed, and I wanted to really hit something. I should have been at soccer practice right now! I should have been stopping every soccer ball in my path right now!

But _**nooooo!**_ I had to be careless and clumsy for _one friggin' night_, and look what happens! My whole world goes up in smoke!

I fisted my hands and sat up on the bed. Buyou, my obese cat, looked up at me from the end of my bed, uninterested. He yawned and stretched, then repositioned himself to get more comfortable.

"Stupid, lousy, good for nothing cat!" I hissed.

I gingerly got up from my bed and sat at my desk, not wanting to take my anger out on my disobedient cat. I looked out in to the day, trying to clear my thoughts. The sun was going to set in two hours, and the wind felt wonderful through my open window. I felt a wave of peace wash over me, and I smiled. But just a bit.

I looked down at the sketch pad on my desk and sighed in defeat. My art teacher, Mr. Nara, surely **was** crazy! An art assignment was due each and every week, and I had to get my first one done by tonight!

I looked back on the first day of school and sighed. Our main assignment, which is due at the end of the year, is to draw, paint, sculpt, or etc., something that represents us: Who we are, our passions, our hard trials, favorite memories, etc. And then every week, due on a Thursday, we have to draw out our ideas for our end of the year assignment, and hang them up for all to see all over the art room. Then Mr. Nara grades them, and gives extra credit points to the one's who is most popular….

Which will never be mine.

_**Who am I? What do I like? What is my passion**_ I wrote down at the top of my sketch pad, boringly.

_**I am Kagome Higurashi. I like Tofu. My passion is Soccer.**_

I am pretty boring, really….

_**I HATE ART WITH A PASSION!!!!!**_Let's see what Mr. Nara thinks of that!

I looked out my window again. No idea's came to my mind. Nothing interesting ever happened in my life, and I certainly did not want to draw the near….rape….experience….

Why wasn't I shocked about all of this? Why didn't I need to see a shrink, even though the doctors said I should? Since I was old enough now, I could decide if I wanted to talk to somebody or not. Unless, of course, if I were hurting myself….then that would be a completely different story.

My "father" didn't even have the nerve to show up at the hospital when I was hurt! The jerk! Oh, how I hated him!!

I shook my head back and forth quickly, ridding myself of those negative thoughts. I focused my mind on the sketch pad instead, trying to conjure up some ideas. But still, nothing came to mind.

I felt myself wander off, and I started to draw a bit on the sketch pad, boringly. I couldn't get my mind off that dumb animal! How could one measly dog take down those three men!? How could that one dumb animal move that fast!?

Unless I truly _did_ hit my head too hard….and I was just imagining things.

But then, I could have **sworn** it had spoken! It didn't move its mouth….I felt the connection through my mind, as if, that dog had spoken to me telepathically, though it seemed like it didn't mean to.

But still, it was the strangest experience I surely EVER have felt….but how could you draw something like that??

That is it! I really need to talk to a shrink. I surely and truly AM going crazy, and I need help. And fast!

* * *

"Kagome! Dinner's ready!" I was snapped out of my thoughts as Souta, my little brother, yelled through my locked bedroom door. 

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute," I told him. When I was about to stand up and close the sketch pad, I nearly fell out of my chair.

I had drawn all over my sketch pad, without even really knowing it.

I drew the dog. I drew _the monster_. And it wasn't _half bad_!

I had drawn its eyes all over the page as well as its teeth, its ears, its claws, its necklace….

'_**Necklace!?'**_

I drew a necklace around the dog's neck, I finally realized. It was strange yet familiar at the same time. It had round beads and sharp looking teeth around it….

And I drew that? I don't recall there being a necklace on the beast….though it certainly was dark out….I could have overlooked it.

I nearly died when I saw the word at the bottom of the sketch pad. I looked at it more closely, since it was so small and all.

_**Beloved**_

I was taken a back. Did I write that? Did I draw all of this and write _**that**_!?

I heard Souta call for me once again, and I told him to shut up, and that I'd be down in a minute. I went to shut my window when I, again, nearly died.

The sun was setting.

I looked at my clock and screeched a bit. It was eight o'clock! Two hours passed by while I sat here, drawing nonsense, and it felt like only seconds to me! What is going on!?

I need a serious dose of fresh air and sanity!

* * *

My brother helped me walk down the stairs and in to the kitchen. Before, I hated it when my mother or brother would help me. But now, I didn't mind at all. It was a good thing he was helping me, since I was in such a strong daze, and because I certainly wasn't watching where I was going at all. 

After supper, and with a few worried glances from my mothers and brothers directions, I asked to be excused and I went to walk outside. It wasn't that easy, of course! With a lot of bickering and yelling between my mother and me, I finally won. I was able to walk outside, finally, but only around the house….and in the yard.

It was extremely annoying, especially when my mother put all the lights on. I just wanted to be alone and watch the stars outside; to get my thoughts in order and to unwind myself. And I was pretty sure my mother was watching me through her bedroom window, making sure no one could kidnap her "precious" daughter….

"_Give me a break!"_ I mumbled angrily, under my breath.

I sat in the grass and listened to the cricket's loud songs. The only good thing about August and September were the crickets. I hate my birthday anymore and the number twenty-eight, since that is the day of my birthday, and I hate August and September, because school always starts around those two months.

And school will always be hell to me. I will always despise it. There is nothing more painful and torturous then school….and art.

I got up and started to walk around the house. I stopped walking when I got to my favorite tree. My grandfather always called it the "God Tree"; that it, itself, created life, and gave life. It was _the_ first tree, and it, supposedly, has the power to alter time and the universe.

**HA!**

I sat underneath it and sighed as I closed my eyes. I always felt at peace here, though I also felt sadness and regret here. And I never could understand why….like I could never understand why the tree had such an ugly scar on it….

* * *

I was about to drift off to sleep when I heard a rustling from the side. I turned my head to the source of the sound, still sleepy and groggy like. And when I became awake enough to see what it was, my heart nearly stopped, and I surely stopped breathing for the longest of time. 

The dog was back, glistening in all its glory. It seemed to have a smirk on its face as it looked down at me. It was bigger then I remembered it, and my whole body went numb and cold.

'_**Miss me?'**_ It laughed. And, at that very moment, I knew that it knew that I knew it could talk, somehow….someway….telepathically….

It bared its teeth at me and growled viciously as it crouched down. I was completely and utterly helpless and defenseless. I walked a little to far from my house, and even if I were to scream, my mother could not save me in time. No one could.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the monster came at me, full force.


	7. Chapter 7: The 'Word'

**Chapter 7**

* * *

**_"BELOVED!!!!!"_**

* * *

I didn't know what happened next. I kept my eyes shut tightly, waiting for the sudden impact, the sudden pain of teeth and claws… 

But nothing happened.

I opened my eyes slowly when I heard whimpers and growls. What I saw astonished me, beyond comprehension.

The dog was lying on the ground, face first, and twitching. It looked up at me and growled, menacingly. Its eyes turned from golden-amber to red, then back again. Around its neck was a darkish-purple glow…

I got up shakily, but the dog stood up too, following my every movement. The darkish-purple glow was now gone.

'_**Imbecile...wretched wench...'**_ I could hear it curse. But how could it be possible? Was I just imagining things again? But of course, that was completely idiotic. I knew I was hearing _something_!

Out of nowhere the dog charged at me again. At the last second, I jumped out of the way. When I tried to regain my footing, the dog was already hot on my trail. I tripped over the God Tree's root and I knew it was the end when I hit the dirt.

A million things went through my mind at that moment as I was lying there on the ground. The dog, my mother, the sketches I did, my brother, the eyes of the dog, my grandfather, the color, my life, the necklace….

_The word, beloved..._

My world went dark for a few seconds, as if time itself stopped. When the dog first came at me when I was sitting underneath the God Tree, I screamed something...I screamed a word, and the animal stopped...and fell to the ground…

_The word, beloved..._

Everything changed, and I saw a meadow. I was walking towards something, and I was filled with regret and bitter sadness. I held something within each hand, and I cried pitifully.

I prayed to the pinkish jewel, and chanted to the darkish-purple beads. The word 'beloved' ran through my mind a million times…

"_**Please let this subduing word, this enchantment on these prayer beads, show him that I truly do love him….and that I am not betraying him….my beloved…."**_

I was brought back to reality as the dog's snarls filled my head. It jumped at me, and it seemed that everything was in slow motion. I saw the dog come, and I knew fear washed off of me like a radiator, but I willed my voice to scream and to shout out….

"**BELOVED!!"**

Instantly, dog met dirt. The dark purple beads glowed tremendously. When the word wore off, the beads stopped glowing…and the dog would get up again, snarling more furiously then before.

"Beloved!" I said, but a little less loudly.

My assumptions were correct. When I would say the word, 'beloved,' the beads glow, the dog gets slammed in to the ground, and when the word wears off, the beads stop glowing…and the dog, yet again, growls furiously…but doesn't get up this time.

'**Damn her to hell….she remembers….' **the dog snarled in to the dirt. It looked up at me and shook its head back and forth, angrily. It got up and immediately crouched down again, about to strike…

"Beloved."

And down the dog went, once again. I couldn't help but to laugh. It was so funny!

"Beloved! Beloved! Beloved!"

**Wham! Wham! Wham!**

I laughed more loudly and I rolled on to the ground with tears in my eyes. I clutched at my abdomen, trying to ease the pain that formed there from my laughing.

'**You think this is so funny, little girl?'** It growled. I looked at the dog on my side, still giggling.

"Wow, so you can really speak to me, or at least telepathically…" I said, in between giggles. "It would have been really weird looking if you could move your mouth and speak."

'**Laugh all you want, wench. You can keep saying that wretched word for all eternity if you must. But all I have to do is get close enough, and once I get that close, it's all over.'**

I rolled my eyes at the dog and murmured the 'word' under my breath. The dog let out a howl as it fell to the ground all over again. I got up from the ground and started to walk away since I was getting bored, until suddenly, I felt a painful stab in my ribs. I crouched over in pain, finally remembering that some of my ribs were cracked…

And it was that entire dumb dogs fault!

I turned around to face the animal and 'beloved' it to a pulp, but I sighed when I saw it still lying there, gasping for breath. I couldn't entirely blame my foolishness on the beast, and I cursed myself for having a heart and a weak spot for animals (except for my uncaring, extremely overweight feline).

And the dog did save my life, didn't it? Even though it probably would have eaten me later…but if it wasn't for the animal, worse things probably would have happened to me.

"Thank you," I murmured to it. It looked up at me, surprised. Its eyes narrowed at me in disgust and it growled some more.

'Why do you thank me, wench?' It asked, stupefied. Though the dog was growling, its voice seemed gentler then before, and less menacing.

I walked closer to the dog but I still kept my distance. I sat three feet away from it, wanting to get even closer, but knowing even this distance wasn't safe enough. I smiled gently at it. Why did I suddenly feel…warmth and affection…for this animal?

"You saved my life," I whispered. The dog seemed so oddly familiar to me, and I just wanted to embrace it…to keep it safe…and to apologize to it; to beg for forgiveness for no apparent reason!

It grunted and tried to get up, but it was of no use. I looked on in confusion. Was it a trap for me to get closer to it, to see if it was ok?

'I would have killed you. I would have killed you now, if you haven't remembered that god-forsaken word!' The dog tried to get up again and when it growled at me when it was barely standing, I 'beloved' it to the ground once more. Sure, I do have a heart and a weak spot for animals, but I have to be assertive and be the alpha…the dominant…or whatever the "Dog Whisper" says in his episodes…

"I have questions for you, pup, and I want answers," I stated, being assertive. The dog narrowed its eyes at me, confusingly, but growled at the word, 'pup'.

"First off," I started, "why can I hear you? Am I reading your mind?"

The dog grunted and looked away. 'I don't need to give you any answers!'

"Beloved." I said silently. The dog, it seemed, was lifted off of the ground just a little bit, and was slammed back in to the ground. Talk about defying gravity and physics!

'**Will you stop that!?' **It howled.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "No, unless I get some answers."

The dog growled menacingly once more. I opened my mouth to say the 'word' again, but I guess it took the hint and quickly said, 'No.'

"Hm?" I questioned. "No, what?"

The dog rolled its eyes. 'No, you can't read my mind. If you could, you wouldn't be asking me these questions right now. But, the fact that you can hear me, I have no idea, since no one else can.'

"Ah…" I mentally smacked myself for being so stupid. "Well, you can't read my mind, right?"

The dog growled. It was losing its patience. 'You are an idiot!'

I said the 'word' in defiance, and down went the dog again. "I was just making sure, alright? You don't have to be such an ass—err, jerk!"

The dog whimpered and moaned. It didn't yell at me again or lift its head up. It just lay there, silent. I panicked when I though I possibly killed it, but I sighed in relief as I saw it was still breathing.

I let out a gasp in horror as I saw the blood on the coat of the animal. The crimson splashes looked fresh…and when I saw the deep gashes in the dogs back and sides, I sighed in relief that the dog didn't claim more people's (or animal's) lives.

But the dog was hurt! I once again cursed myself for my compassion for all living things. I was about to reach over and touch it, but then I stopped myself. What if it was another trap?

"Are you ok, dog?" I asked, tentatively. It didn't move or speak, or even whimper. I grabbed a stick and started to poke it. Blood was coming from out of the dog's mouth and it was panting to the extreme. I knew it wasn't trying to trick me, then. I knew it was truly hurt, and without me, it would die!

**"Mom! Grandpa!"** I screamed out in to the night. **"I need your help! _Please!_"**

Why was I crying? Why was I so scared that I might lose this dogs life? It couldn't possibly be my compassion for all living things…it was something more…

This feeling was greater than my passion for soccer, or my love for Tofu…this feeling was foreign to me, but familiar in the same way. I clutched on to the dog, trying to keep it breathing, telling it everything was going to be alright now: That I'll take care of it, always, and that I'll never leave it again.

_**'I promise to always stay by your side. I'll never leave you again...' **_

A dark whisper in the back of my mind...a deep voice, a beautiful voice. But, in that moment, I whispered it to the dog, as well...

And in my heart, I truly meant it.


	8. Chapter 8: Thank You

**Chapter 8**

* * *

It wasn't that hard carrying the large and mystical animal in to the house. It was lighter then my mother, my grandfather, and I thought. But that was probably because the animal, though all muscle, was starving. We can see the ribs protruding from its sides…

The hard part was explaining everything to my mother, though I kept out the major details. She knows how much I love animals. I took in Buyou, my extremely overweight cat, when it was a stray, and when it was also extremely skinny (which is now hard to believe). But we (meaning my mother) fattened the stupid cat up (literally) and now he takes advantage of me and my family.

"My goodness, I wonder what happened to the poor dear?" my mother asked, pitifully. My grandfather put a couple of towels on to the kitchen table and we placed the dog on top. It was bleeding horribly; I doubt the towels were going to make any difference.

My brother, Souta, heard all of the commotion from upstairs. He jumped down the flight of stairs and gasped in horror as he saw the sight from the kitchen doorway.

"Whoa…is that a wolf!?" Souta exclaimed excitedly, though horror was still etched on to his face.

"No! Souta, go back to bed! This doesn't concern you!" I know I sounded harsh, but my little brother would just get in the way.

"Honey, that is no way to treat your brother!" my mother said to me in a scolding tone. "Souta, dear, go grab a bucket and fill it with warm water. Also grab a couple of rags, as well!"

I rolled my eyes at my mom but I let it slide. I hated it when she babied my brother and always seemed to take his side.

Souta returned shortly with the now heavy bucket. He was spilling the warm water everywhere. "Souta, give me the bucket! Now, get some more rags and clean up the mess you just made!"

"Kagome…" my mother said, warningly. I scowled at my mother.

"Souta, be a dear and wipe up the mess, will you baby?" my mother asked, being all so motherly. Souta stomped his foot angrily, but he did what he was told.

I cradled the animals head in my hands. It was breathing very heavily and it was gasping for breath now and then. Something tore at my heart while I watched it suffer. The feeling was very alien, yet very familiar, once again.

It was a…mutual thing?

The dog coughed and hacked. "Should we take it to the animal hospital?" my grandfather asked my mother, his daughter.

**"NO!"**

I held my hands tightly to my mouth. My mother and my grandfather looked at me, in shock. I didn't know why I screamed no, but for some reason, in my heart, I knew the animal hospital wouldn't be able to do a thing.

They'd just end up putting the animal to sleep anyway…

"Er, what I meant to say is, let's just keep it here for tonight. The gashes don't look that deep, and the blood already stopped flowing."

My mom and grandpa looked over the animal's body. Indeed, the blood did stop flowing.

My mom put a hand to her face, a sign of worry. "Oh, I don't know, honey. It looks like it is suffering…"

"Please, mom. Just let it stay for tonight. The animal hospital is more than an hour away! The dog will die if we don't help it right now!"

My mother and grandfather exchanged a look of concern. My grandfather shrugged and my mother then sighed. "Alright, Kagome. You win."

I smiled happily. I wanted to hug my mother…but I wasn't_ that_ happy.

"First things first," my mother started, clapping her hands once together, "we need to clean these wounds and bandage it up." My mother turned to Souta, who just got done cleaning the floor. "Souta, baby, get dressed. You and I are going to the market to get a first aid kit."

Souta groaned and stomped his foot, yet again. "Mooom!" he cried, "I want to see the wolf!"

"It is NOT a WOLF, Souta!!" I screamed at him, but my mother cut me off before I could say more.

When my mother and brother left the house for the late night market, my grandfather and I started to clean the dog's wounds. The dog continued to whimper every few seconds, but then it stopped after a few minutes. At first I thought it was dead, but then I saw the fall and rise of its chest, and I then knew it was asleep.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Kagome, where did you come across this animal?" My grandfather startled me from my thoughts.

"Ehh, oh, well, I umm…." I didn't know what to say. "You know, what I just told mom, grandpa."

My grandfather gave me a knowing look. "Kagome, you are a very convincing, but your mother never could tell the difference between a true and false statement. She is a very gullible person."

I gulped.

"Tell me the truth, Kagome," he asked, seriously. I sighed, and I finally realized I wouldn't be able to lie myself out of this one.

So I explained to my grandfather about that night…with those men. I shuddered when I remembered it, and my ribs and arms started to burn and ache. When I explained to him, in full detail, about those men, I realized I couldn't breathe. But I continued to tell him the story, when the dog showed up.

I couldn't continue. I fell to my knees and just sat there, rocking myself back and forth. My grandfather immediately came to my side, hushing me and talking to me with soothing words. But no matter what he did, I couldn't get that near rape experience out of my mind. I slowly realized I was finally going in to shock.

After a few moments, something inside me changed. It was warm and took on a heart beat, all of its own. It gave me strength and courage, even though the heart beat was faint. I looked up when I felt eyes upon me, and I saw the dog's eyes meet mine.

It was like, all of my troubles and burdens went away at that instance. The shock, the near rape experience…it all just…disappeared. It was still there, mind you, in my head, but it was _faintly _there, like I could hardly remember it anymore…

Like it was all just a bad dream…

Something else changed. I realized I could breathe again. My ribs felt warm and a tingly sensation went through my whole body.

I looked wildly around for my grandfather and I sighed in relief when I saw he was just getting me a glass of water. I looked at myself, and though the stitches were still in my arms, they didn't hurt anymore. Neither did my ribs. And all the little scratches and bruises I had, throughout my body, disappeared…

I looked up at the dog again, but it wasn't look back at me, this time. Its eyes were closed and it was breathing heavily all over again.

Was I just imagining things? No, I knew I wasn't. The dog did something to me, but I don't know how. I got up, a little shakily, and I started to pet the dogs head. It whimpered a bit, but then it calmed down. It started to slightly snore and it leaned in to my touch. I felt a small smile tug at my lips, but this time, I let the smile out.

"Thank you…" I murmured to the animal.


	9. Chapter 9: Released

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Much to my luck, my mother insisted I stay home from school today. And much to her luck, I eagerly obliged. 

It's not like I would want to go to school, anyway…

I sat by the window in my room, watching the trees dance in the wind and the sun rise higher into the sky. I was extremely tired and stressed since I stayed up all night, taking care of a certain _dog_.

And that certain _dog_ was hogging up my whole friggin' bed!

I turned my attention to the dog, watching the rise and fall of its chest. _'He sure does look peaceful…and a bit too comfy, for my tastes!'_ I thought to myself, with narrowed eyes.

I mean, the dog DID try to kill me…but it DID save my life, too. And, like I have said before, I curse my compassion for all animals…

But, while I continued to stare at the animal, I knew it was something more. Just like with last night, when I noticed this strange feeling…I knew this dog, didn't I? It wasn't just my compassion for animals. I felt such a…strong connection towards it; stronger than compassion or any other feeling I have ever felt in my entire life, combined!

I walked over to the animal and checked its injuries. My mother did a very good job with bandaging the dog up last night when both she and my little brother came back from the late night market. And my little brother, Souta, was more than happy to see what gender this poor animal was right when he walked into the house!

Male…

Well, I am glad we all got THAT cleared up.

And to make it worse, my brother didn't even care about its injuries! He just wanted to keep it and name it, the little brat! But I do love him…even though he can be extremely selfish and obnoxious at times…

Finally, with great effort and yelling from me last night, my brother finally went to bed around one in the morning. My mother went to bed soon after, since she had to go to work in the morning.

She nearly had a heart attack this morning, seeing the dog on my bed. Last night, before she went to bed, my mother tried to pound into my head that the dog does not sleep in my room; especially with me. She didn't know what the animal is capable of, and if it's dangerous or not. But I told her grandfather gave me permission and said it was alright, and then she took her anger out on him.

The poor old fool…

"Kagome, may I come in?" my grandfather asked me from behind my locked door.

Why…speak of the devil!

"Sure," I said, and I unlocked my door and opened it for him.

"How is the poor dog doing?" he asked as he came into my room with a tray filled with cookies and green tea.

"He's good, so far," I answered him while I helped him set the tray on the ground, in between us. "He slept all night and into this morning without a sound."

My grandfather nodded as he set the tea cups out and filled them with the green tea. He handed my cup to me after he blew on it to cool it down for me. I smiled and took a sip. It was delicious.

We sat in silence for a moment, just taking sips of our green tea and bites out of the cookies. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started eating from the plate of cookies…all of the cookies…

"My dear, Kagome, you must be starving!" my grandfather chuckled at me. "Why don't you go down stairs and get yourself something to eat? I didn't see you at breakfast this morning, and I don't believe you have had lunch."

Right at the sound of lunch, my stomach made a huge growling sound, making me blush with embarrassment. My grandfather just chuckled at me some more.

I looked over at the dog. I must have had a worried expression on my face, since my grandfather said, "Don't worry about him, Kagome. Just get something to eat. I'll watch over him while you're downstairs."

I smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, grandfather." I hugged him and thanked him for the delicious tea and cookies, once again, and then I grabbed the empty tray and took it downstairs with me.

Once I washed the empty plate and cups from the tray, dried them, then put them away, I grabbed the bread and made myself a sandwich. I nearly cried; it tasted so good! And I usually hated peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!

When I ate the last bite and licked my fingers, I nearly puked the whole sandwich up when I heard a terrified scream…upstairs…from my bedroom. I launched myself up from the kitchen table, knocking the chair I was sitting on over in the process, and launched myself up the steps from the living room.

When I reached my bedroom door, I also screamed.

The dog was over my grandfather, pinning him down. He was growling furiously; his dagger sharp teeth were gleaming in the light. The bandages were now almost all off him, except for a few on his paws and hind legs. But I gasped in horror when I saw its coat…

It was perfect…healed…untouched. There were no scars or gashes. There was nothing. It was if…there were no gashes or cuts on this animal ever…as if, last night…never happened…

At the sound of my gasp, the dog's eyes fell upon me. Bright red…teal pupils…light purple strips…

My grandfather tried to fight off the animal, to yell at me to run, but the dogs paw was at his throat, pinning him down onto the ground...

The animal was cutting off my grandfather's air circulation…

I almost forgot I had a weapon. The only way to get the dog off of my grandfather so he wouldn't get hurt…

Was to run for it.

"Can't catch me!" I choked out, but in fear, as I ran down the steps from my bedroom. I could hear my grandfather gasp from behind me as I also heard, at the same time, pounding steps from behind me. I wanted to sigh in relief that the dog actually let my grandfather go and unharmed, but once I heard the snarling right at my back, I picked up speed and ran out of the house.

I could feel the dog's breath on my neck and my back, so once I reached the God Tree, I quickly turned around and screamed out at the top of my lungs…

"_**BELOVED!!!!!"**_

Instead of seeing the dog crash in to the ground as I expected, right at my feet, the most unexpected thing happened…

It didn't crash in to the ground…

It just kept running…

And charged itself full force at me…

The last thing I knew, I was on the ground, gasping for breath, with the dog on top of me. The wind was knocked out of me when the dog tackled me to the ground with its whole body, and I started to panic when I couldn't breathe.

The dog's hot breath was in my face, and I could see its gleaming white, dagger sharp teeth, an inch from my face and throat. Its eyes were bright red, like newly spilled blood, and it had a huge evil dog grin etched onto its face.

I stared into the dog's eyes, as if mesmerized. What went wrong? Why didn't the dog stop and pummel into the ground when I said 'beloved'? What happened here?

When I slowly took my eyes away from the dog's blood ones and looked at its neck, I gasped in horror once I regained my air.

The dog's neck was bare…there was no necklace…

I finally realized the dog was set free, and that someone took off the necklace when I wasn't there…

"No…way…" was all I could choke out as the dog got ready to rip out my throat.


	10. Chapter 10: Missing

**Chapter 10**

* * *

"_No…way…" was all I could choke out as the dog got ready to rip out my throat._

I waited. I waited for the sudden pain of teeth and claws. I waited for the smell and feel of my own blood that would splash all over me. I waited for my own death.

I waited…

But nothing happened.

I slowly opened my eyes, almost too afraid to.

What I saw startled me.

The dog was just inches away from my face, but it wasn't growling anymore. His eyes were gold again; not the blood red I had expected his eyes to be at the moment. And even though his face was contorted in rage, his eyes…

Held great sadness. And possibly something else…?

I stared into the dogs eyes. I wanted to look away; I knew it wasn't smart to stare at a wild dog straight in the eyes, but I couldn't help it. I was mesmerized by its beauty. And besides, I was too shocked by this whole mess to do anything else.

The dog stared back at me. It was if…the dog could look straight through my eyes and see into my soul. My heart started to beat rapidly. I was afraid, yet calm at the same time.

The most startling thing of all was when the dog shifted and got off of me. I slowly pulled myself up from my submissive position and stared at the dog in shock.

The dog slowly started to walk away then, without looking back. I felt this great pang of sadness suddenly flow through my heart, and I was grief stricken. I didn't want this dog to leave me…

"**WAIT!"** I was startled by my own voice. I didn't mean to shout it out, but yet…I did. I didn't want the dog to leave. I wanted it to stay. Here. With me.

The dog stopped walking, but it refused to look at me. It just stood there, a couple feet away from me…but to me, it felt like the dog stood a mile or two away from me. I hated that feeling.

"_Please…_" I barely whispered, though I knew the dog could hear me. His ears shifted at the sound of my voice.

At first, as the dog still stood there, I thought it was going to turn around and come back to me. But, after a few seconds that felt like hours, it just started to walk off again.

**"Don't you walk away from me!"** I yelled at him, knowing all too well that the dog could understand me. "**Come back here, this instant!** You can't just attack my grandfather or me, then do nothing, and just walk away! And what about last night, huh?? My grandfather and I took care of you! We looked after you! And besides, your wounds **can't possibly** be fully healed yet!"

At this, the dog slowly turned around. But instead of walking back to me, like I thought it would, it just gave me a toothy grin. Then, out of nowhere, it ripped off the remaining bandages on its paws and hind legs with his sharp teeth, revealing the rest of its pure white fur.

Not a scratch or scar on him.

So he truly _was_ healed…!

I stared on in shock and complete silence. The dog gave me another toothy grin again, and then bounded away from sight. I just sat on the ground, too numb to stand up.

This was no ordinary dog…

Well, of course it wasn't just any ordinary dog! Supposedly, we were able to have a conversation yesterday!! Well…a very brief conversation…but a conversation, nonetheless!

**_"Kagome!!"_** I hardly registered that my name was being called. I just kept staring off into the distance, or rather, where the dog was, moments ago.

**_"Kagome!!"_** I finally looked away from the surrounding trees and looked up to see my grandfather running to me, calling out my name frantically…and annoyingly.

"Kagome!! Oh, my dear Kagome, are you alright!?" my grandfather wheezed out as he finally reached me and knelt down in front of me. I chuckled a bit. He probably hasn't run that fast in years!

"Don't chuckle at me, young lady! I was worried sick about you!!" my grandfather scolded me while his eyes searched the area, worriedly. "Where is that animal?? Did he run off??"

I just nodded my head.

"Good riddance! That thing gave me quite a scare!" my grandfather shivered, while he wiped his brow. "Come, let's go inside. We don't want to still be out here if that evil mutt decides to come back!!"

All I could do was just nod my head again and slowly stand up. My legs still felt like jelly, but with some support from my grandfather, we hurriedly (yet slowly) made it inside.

* * *

**"Dammit, I can't sleep!!"** I threw my pillow across the room angrily as I sat up from my bed. It was two in the morning and I had to go to school tomorrow (or rather, today)!!

I got up from my bed and walked to my desk. I turned on the desk light and stared down angrily at the still open sketch pad. The dog's eyes stared up at me from the page, taunting me with its…_tauntyness_…

I angrily picked up the sketch pad, about to rip the sketch to shreds, but I stopped myself before I could even get a rip in it. I stared down sadly at the sketch of the dog I drew, while I stroked the sketch with my thumb. I missed that mutt so much…

I slapped myself. Why would I miss a dumb animal like him?? I shook my head back and forth quickly, trying to clear my befuddled thoughts. I gently set the sketch book on top of the desk again, and I sat down in my desk chair. This drawing _was_ due on Thursday, but since I took yesterday off (thanks to my darling mother), it was due a _few hours from now_…

It was a good thing my mother let me stay home yesterday. If she hadn't, what would have happened between my grandfather and that dog? If I wasn't there, would that dog have ripped my grandfather to shreds? But it didn't rip me to shreds, now did it? Maybe the dog was just trying to be scary…or maybe my grandfather frightened it by accident somehow. But anyway, nothing bad happened, and all is well…

But what really surprised me about this whole 'dog-thing' experience is that instead of my grandfather telling my mother, his daughter, about the whole…_ordeal_…when she and my brother Souta got home, he kept quiet about it. And so did I. I wanted to ask him in private why he didn't tell her, but I never got the chance. So I just came to the conclusion that he didn't want to scare the crap (literally) out of my mother about the whole, "The dog almost ate us!!" speech.

And poor Souta. He made a collar and everything for the devil dog at his school. He really wanted to keep the dumb animal, and he was in tears when my grandfather and I told him he ran away that morning.

All my mother had to say was, "Good riddance!" I can tell where she gets her attitude from…

I sighed happily. Well, at least today is Friday…which is the good news! But I have a whole week worth of work I have to make up…which is the bad news!

I groaned, knowing the piles and piles of homework I was about to bring home today. There goes my free weekend!!

I got up from my desk chair and went to my window. The moon was almost full now, and it was so beautiful. I opened my window and let the cool breeze flow into my stuffy room. It felt wonderful against my skin.

I finally walked away from the window, keeping it open, and went to my desk again. I opened the top drawer and took out the necklace that my grandfather left in my room yesterday. The necklace the dog was wearing…

This harmless little necklace…I was somehow able to control the dog with this thing. And my grandfather took it off him…**_the idiot!_** I pondered on about the necklace as I sat down on my bed, stroking the beads with my fingertips.

The beads were completely black now.

This took me by surprise. I could have sworn they were a dark purple when the dog was wearing it…but I let that thought slip from my mind. I didn't really want to think about the animal right now.

But still…this whole thing really confused me. I really needed to talk to my grandfather after school today. Yesterday, after the dog nearly attacked me and my grandfather, I went up to my room after dinner and I saw the necklace lying in the middle of my room, on the floor. I was surprised my grandfather didn't trash the thing, and I was surprised he didn't say anything about it to me.

He must have forgotten…he's old and all, so I guess that is a completely normal thing when dealing with old folks.

I shook my head roughly and got up to sit at my desk, once again. I laid the beads down on top of my desk, right next to the sketch book. I then grabbed a pencil and turned to a new page in my sketch book, and began to sketch again.

What better way to kill time by doing something you hated more than anything in the world?

* * *

**_"KAGOME!!!!!" _**

I screeched, toppling onto the floor from my desk chair in the process.

**"Kagome!! What are you doing!? Get up, young lady, or you'll miss school!!"**

"_Ow…_" was all I could muster out as I was now planted, face first, onto the floor of my bedroom. I looked at my bedroom door angrily as my mother pounded on it, over and over again.

**"Kagome!! You cannot miss another day of school!! Get up, young lady!!"**

**"I'm up, I'm up!!"** I screamed at her. "Jeeves, just shut up already!!"

"Don't tell me to shut up, missy!" My mother angrily yelled back. "You only have ten minutes to get to school! Get up! _**NOW!!**_"

I rolled my eyes as I gingerly stood up. I looked around my room in surprise. _'I must have fallen asleep at my desk last night…'_ I thought as I rubbed my eyes. I started to take off my clothes to get clean ones on me until I noticed something…

Paw prints. There were paw prints _all over_ my bedroom floor…

**And my sketch book was _MISSING_!!!!!!!!!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Supernatural

**Author's Note:**

**

* * *

**

**_Sorry about the long wait. A lot of stuff as been going on...but it is all good, as of now. The ones who have read my LiveJournal...yes, this chapter IS a bit short (I promised you all a longer Chapter, I believe), and I said a lot of stuff would be explained in this Chapter..._**

**_Well, it's not in this Chapter anymore. All of your questions will be answered in the next Chapter, and the next Chapter is when the pace picks up more quickly (and when the Story gets even more interesting)._**

**_But thank you all for your reviews, once again. I love your comments, and I love how you are all paying attention to the tiny-little missing details at this point. But, like I have stated before, all of your questions will be answered in the next Chapter._**

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Howl Angelline Belladonna_ **

_

* * *

_

Chapter 11

* * *

I walked to school in a daze. I did not really care if I was going to be late or not; I kept my slow walking pace as I rounded a corner and trudged up the hill I usually sprinted up every day that led to my school.

I did not want to go to school. Mr. Nara was going to totally flip once he finds out that I don't have my sketch book AND my assignment. It doesn't matter to Mr. Nara if I was nearly killed a few times within the week, or that I got stitches, a few cracked ribs, a slight concussion…

I smacked myself upside the head and groaned. I suddenly remembered I had to go to the Doctor's Office this afternoon, right after school. My Doctor has to check out my stitches and ribs, and make sure the healing process is going smoothly.

I groaned again. I _**HATED**_ the Doctor's.

My leg scratches were gone, as well as the other scratches and cuts I had a few days ago that were all over my body. The stitches in my arms bothered me a bit, though; they itched, **a lot**. But hopefully, if the healing process is a success and my Doctor gives me the O.K., I'd be able to get these stitches removed from my arms within the week at the hospital.

I put a hand to my chest and rubbed up and down. My ribs did not hurt at all. It did not hurt to breathe, or to cough, or to run. I felt better than ever, but I was still depressed and stressed out.

I couldn't get my mind off that dumb dog.

Remembering about the dog…the Doctor was going to be fairly surprised to see that my ribs have healed completely, and that all the scratches and cuts I had on my body suddenly disappeared. I was not sure what I was going to tell him. _"Yah, you see, Doc…there was this strange monster dog, and I saved it, and well…it healed me somehow by looking at me, and..."_

I rolled my eyes to myself. If I told him that story, he'd throw me in the nut house for sure!!

I sighed in defeat. I was not looking forward to school _at all_ today. If I had the guts, I would have turned around at this moment and walked away. I wanted to skip school terribly.

But I knew I needed to go. I missed my entire first week of school last week (except for Monday), and I missed all of this week. It's stupid for my mother to make me go to school today, especially since it's a Friday…but I _do_ need to make up a lot of work. Education is very important to my mother and to my grandfather. They expect the best of me…

Which is why my mother expects me to become a nurse…or a secretary…

Like I'd want to be any of _those_ things! I want to play soccer! I want to be the best, and go to the college with the best soccer team, and strive to be the best goalie the world has ever seen!!

But then reality crashed down on top of me.

I could not play this year.

I abruptly stopped walking. I wanted to scream, to cry, and to run around like a mad person. Why did all of this bad stuff have to happen to me!? What did I do in a past life to deserve all of this!?

Even if my ribs were completely healed…and my emotional trauma about the near rape experience went away…the coaches would not let me play soccer. The Doctor's and the hospital would not let me play soccer.

No one would listen to me. They would not care.

"_Soccer is such a man sport, Kagome!" _my mother would yell at me. _"You are a proper young woman who should not be dirtying herself with sweat and dirt! How are you ever going to get a decent, young man, if you are filthy all the time!?"_

Like I CARE!?

I wiped away some stray tears from my face and started to walk again. My mother…she was _something_, all right. I shook my head to erase her from my thoughts and looked down at my black wrist watch. I smiled sadly.

I was, so far, ten minutes late for homeroom.

Well, it is not _**my**_ fault that I am late! But if my mother found out that I did not make it to school on time...

It doesn't matter. I am still grounded, by the way. But only for this weekend now.

Like I had planned to do ANYTHING this weekend! I'm going to be so stacked up with books, studying, homework, assignments, art…

I kicked a pebble that was lying on the side walk.

Stupid dog…how did it get into my room in the first place!? And it left its dirty paw prints all over my bedroom floor!! It took my sketch book, but for what reason!? For what foul purpose??

I reached into my jean pocket and fiddled with the necklace. The dog did not take it last night, which surprised me. I thought it would want to destroy the stupid thing, or throw it in to a river somewhere; to just get rid of it as quickly as possible.

But no…this morning, when my mother woke me up rather…rudely…I found circular imprints on my right palm when I was getting dressed. The cause of that? I was clutching the necklace all night long, within my palm. There was no other plausible explanation for it. I mean, when holding the necklace within my left palm tightly for a bit, then letting go…the same exact imprints showed up, just like within my right palm.

But why would I clutch the darn thing tightly while I was sleeping??

I sighed and looked up into the sky, trying to think of something else other than that dumb dog. I still continued to stroke the beads with my fingertips as I walked, though…and for some odd reason, I did not want to stop.

I started to think about that night…the night of my birthday…when those men attacked me. I did not want to think about it, but I just could not help myself. The near rape experience did not bother me anymore, but still…that dog killed those men so quickly. Blood and guts were all over the place; the men in shreds…

Could that dog possibly be a wolf? Was Souta actually right about that?

Nah…it could not be! The dog was much bigger than a wolf, that's for sure! No wolf is THAT big! But yet…

What about a werewolf??

I laughed at my idiocy.

But…could it be a werewolf? Or some other supernatural being? How did it get into my room, then?? I always keep my door locked…and my mother and grandfather lock down the house every night…

I gasped then.

I left my window open last night…and it must have _jumped_…

I kept walking but I had my eyes open in shock. I could not believe it…I could not believe how stupid I was for doing such a thing! The supernatural…_dog_ could have killed me and my family!

But it did not. It just took my sketch book instead.

I could see the school now, and I looked down at my black wrist watch. I was now eighteen minutes late for homeroom. I walked a little faster. I did not want to miss homeroom _completely_.

I laughed at myself then. I was such a dork!

* * *

After I got to the school and received my late and excused slip (for my sick days), I walked to homeroom…completely and utterly **embarrassed**. I wanted to murder my mother. I **REALLY** did. I totally forgot that I promised I would wear something more…_'girly'_…for her after my first day of school. Well…I wish my mother could have been like other mother's and not care about what the hell their kid does… 

Right when I got dressed this morning into my usual attire, consisting of a baggy t-shirt and jeans, she totally flipped out at me (as usual). But the worse part of it all was…she already had an outfit picked out for me!! It was her birthday gift to me (the one that I immediately discarded into a heap of birthday wrappings); a sleeveless white shirt with a light pink sweater, and a blue jean skirt with fluffy brown winter boots. And to top it all off…she handed me a…pink…purse…

I was mortified when she **forcefully** handed me the grotesque clothing and _forced _me to wear…this _**hideous**_ _'wardrobe'_ today!!

I was so caught up inside myself within my own thoughts that I _completely forgot_ about what I was wearing today when I was walking to school!! If I would have remembered **exactly** what I was wearing, I KNOW I would have skipped school! I would have turned around and ran home to hide under my covers and never show my face again!

I was completely red faced…I KNOW I was. Right when I reached the school's grounds, it seemed to me that _everyone_ was staring at me. I can kind of guess why. I mean, I was known as "THE Tomboy" _most_ of my whole life. And now, I was wearing _girl_ clothes.

Go figure…

* * *

Through out the day, I kept getting stares from the people around me. 

I wanted to cry…I REALLY did.

My first, second, and third period classes were mortifying. Even the _teacher's_ were shocked by my school attire this morning! And the boys…

Oh, how I wish I could hurt them…

I have never received a "cat-call" in my whole entire life! The boys in the hall whistled at me and looked away from their girlfriends to watch me innocently walk by…

And no, I DID NOT start to enjoy it.

I have always just wanted to be invisible. I NEVER wanted to be the center of attention. And now…nearly the ENTIRE SCHOOL swarmed themselves around me…

"Nice outfit, Higurashi!"

"Lookin' good!"

"_Ruff, ruff!_ Can I get some of that!?"

"_Holy hell!!_ She's got some legs on her!!"

"What the _hell_ has happened to _you_??"

"_He's a SHE!!??"_

I never felt so claustrophobic, **or more disgusted**, in my life.

The day went on after that…rather slowly, though. I skipped lunch all together and hid myself in the girl's bathroom. I could not hold it in anymore.

I bawled my eyes out.

* * *

I heard the bell, signaling that fifth period lunch was over. I quickly dried my eyes and walked out of the stall I hid myself in for forty minutes. When I got to the bathroom sink, I washed my face with cool water. 

All of this crying was going to give me a MAJOR headache later on today…

I looked in the mirror then and sighed. My face was all red and puffy; the same with my eyes. I could not walk around the school with _that_ face! If I did, people would KNOW that I have been crying; that I am huge cry baby! I can't be weak…I can't show weakness…I just can't!!

I took a few, but deep, calming breaths. I dried my face and hands once more—

All of a sudden, a **HUGE** _chill_ went up my spine.

The bathroom became extremely cold then…and I jumped when I heard the girl's bathroom door suddenly slam shut behind me…

And to make it worse, I _saw_ the door slam shut behind me…through the _mirror_…_all on its own._

I slowly turned around then—

Only to come face to face with two complete strangers…who, _I could sense_, were _**NOT**_ of this world!!


End file.
